Ninth

Peter Murphy will never escape the shadows of Bauhaus and he has no reason to try. His solo work is rich with a similar gothic vibe that creates great mystery on the best cuts and at least curious wanderings on the rest. It’s no surprise that many of these songs were performed live before being put to tape. Tracks such as “Velocity Bird,” “Seesaw Sway” and “Peace to Each” cruise with a tough, assured quality that’s as close to genuine hard rock as it is to David Bowie-styled art rock. “I Spit Roses” dials down the propulsion to open itself into a beautiful goth-psychedelic maelstrom. “Never Fall Out” turns dark and moody with a striking calm that is followed up with the spastic pop of “Memory Go.” “Crème de la Crème” sits down at the piano for a vampiric vamp. “Secret Silk Society” approaches a Bauhaus sense of eerie doom. Murphy is a master and with producer David Baron understanding Murphy’s vision, Ninth is a necessary addition to the Bauhaus-Murphy catalog.